Plastic reinforced produce container

ABSTRACT

A reinforced paperboard produce container having reinforcing end frames of molded thermosetting plastic or other suitably rigid construction secured to the outer sides of the end walls of a paperboard container body with edge flanges on the frames projecting inwardly over the upper end wall edges and under the bottom wall of the body to provide upper and lower stacking edges. The reinforced containers are of sufficient strength, and interfit in such manner, that a number of them may be stacked with ample strength and stability in vertical columns. The lower stacking edges are recessed or bevelled to permit lifting of the container by a clamp truck. The container has hinged lids or cover panels formed with tabs which engage with formations on the end frames to alternatively releasably lock the lids in closed, or open, folded away positions. The containers replace wood containers, previously used, and incorporate useful arrangements for latching the lids closed, for shipment, or open, for display of the produce.

United States Patent 11 1 Crane 1 1 Apr. 22, 1975 PLASTIC REINFORCEDPRODUCE 3.713.579 1/1973 Chappers 229/44 R CONTAINER PrimaryEraminer-William I. Price [76] Inventor X f g g i 2 l z AssistantExaminer-Bruce H. Bernstein erman a al Attorney, Agent, or Firm-ForrestJ. Lilly [22] Filed: Nov. 20, 1972 21 Appl. No.: 307,962 [57] ABSTRACT Areinforced paperboard produce container having Apphcatm Data reinforcingend frames of molded thermosetting plas- [63] Continuation-impart ofScr. No. 193.874. c tic or other suitably rigid construction secured tothe 1971 abandoned -p 0f outer sides of the end walls of a paperboardcontainer lz F t N ggm body with edge flanges on the frames projectingin- 8 'g 0 arc wardly over the upper end wall edges and under the a onebottom wall of the body to provide upper and lower stacking edges. Thereinforced containers are of suffi- [52] Cl cient strength, and interfitin such manner, that a [5]] 1m 0 B65d 7 365d 2l'/02 number of them maybe stacked with ample strength [58] Fie'ld 229/1316 1 49 23 A andstability in vertical columns. The lower stacking 30 44 edges arerecessed or bevelled to permit lifting of the 220/23 6 Z i 217/69container by a clamp truck. The container has hinged lids or coverpanels formed with tabs which engage 56] References Cited withformations on the end frames to alternatively re- UNITED STATES PATENTS2.849.l5l 8/1958 Hcil 220/97 3.409.202 ll/l968 Belcher... 229/23 R3.417.909 l2/l968 Stern 229/15 3.675.808 7/l972 Brink 220/7 3.677.4367/l972 Danielson 220/97 B leasably lock the lids in closed. or open.folded away positions. The containers replace wood containers.previously used. and incorporate useful arrangements for latching thelids closed. for shipment, or open, f0 display of the produce. 1

16 Claims, 13 Drawing Figures PMENTEBAPReema 3,878,980

sum 1 q 2 will PLASTIC REINFORCED PRODUCE CONTAINER RELATED APPLICATIONSThis is a continuation-in-part of my prior applications Serial Nos.193,874; filed 10,24,72 227,798; filed 2,22-72 and 238,320 filed 3/27/72all now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The presentinvention relates generally to containers and more particularly toplastic end frames for box containers and also to such frames incombination with certain novel features of an improved container.

2. Description of the Prior Art Produce, such as peaches, oranges, etc.,is commonly packed for handling, storage, shipment and display in woodenor fiberboard box containers often referred to as trays or lugs. Duringstorage and shipment, these containers are often stacked in verticalcolumns. Lately, some efforts have been made to construct suchcontainers of less rigid material such as corrugated or otherpaperboard, sometimes with rigid plastic ends, but in all cases of whichwe are aware, these either have not attained sufficient strength to bereliable, or have been impractical for some other reason.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention overcomes the prior artproblems by the use of improved rigid plastic end frames for boxcontainers, whereby the material of the container can be of a materialhaving less strength and rigidity than wooden or fiberboard containers.The containers to which the present invention applies have a containerbody with a bottom wall bounded along its edges by upstanding side andend walls, together with lids hinged to the upper edges of its sidewalls.

Applied over the ends of the container are rigid reinforcing frames ofopen rectangular configuration which are preferably unitary moldedplastic shapes. These frames have coplanar flanges which seat againstthe outer surfaces of the walls, and flanges perpendicular to thecoplanar flanges which fit snugly, like caps, over narrow end portionsof the container. The hinged lids remain outside these caps, and partlyfor this porpose and for another which will appear later, areunconnected with the side walls along the hinge lines for the distancefrom the vertical edges of the side walls to points just past or insidethe perpendicular flanges of the end frames. In the preferred form ofthe invention, an important feature is that the end edges of the lidsare offset from the vertical end edges of the side walls by thisdistance, so as to clear a later mentioned spacer on the end frame,excepting for a later described locking tab which interengages with thisspacer. The upper and lower perpendicular frame flanges provide, or havethereon means providing, interengageable substantially horizontalstacking surfaces such that a number of the containers may be stacked,frame against frame, in vertical columns. The flanged construction ofthe plastic end frames provides the latter with sufficient strength andrigidity in their vertical edgewise directions to withstand, withoutbuckling or collapsing, the maximum stacking loads normally encounteredwhen the containers are stacked in their filled condition. A feature ofthe invention is that no loading is borne by the side or end walls ofthe container. The end walls of the container abut against the coplanarflanges of the end frames, and are strongly riveted together,contributing unusual strength at this juncture.

The upper and lower perpendicular frame flanges are relatively thin, andhave, respectively, substantially horizontal upwardly and downwardlyfacing exterior side surfaces thereon. Extending vertically outward fromthe exterior side of one of these upper and lower perpendicular flanges,preferably the upper flange, is a spacer means, which has thereon one ofsaid substantially horizontal stacking surfaces, (which may be in one ormore coplanar sections) which is thus spaced outwardly from thecorrespondingly facing exterior side surface of the flange. Theoppositely facing stacking surface is then the aforementionedsubstantially horizontal exterior surface on the other of these upperand lower perpendicular flanges.

The spacer means provide for air ventilation between stacked containers,and also provide space to receive the bottom walls of the containerswhen they sag under load. The much preferred arrangement is with thespacers rising above the upper perpendicular flanges, since the bottomsof the end frames and the containers can then be substantially coplanar,and can ride easily over roller conveyers.

Further features of the preferred form of the invention are that the endedges of the hinged lids have no portions which overlie the horizontalstacking surfaces on the spacers, but do have portions which overlieportions of the upwardly facing horizontal surface area of the upperperpendicular flanges, immediately inwardly of the spacers, and arereceived, in a lid-locking manner, in throats formed in said spacers.The result is that no edge portion of the lid can intervene between theelevated stacking surface on the end frame and the lower stackingsurface on the end frame of the next container above.

It should be understood that where the container material is corrugatedpaperboard, it is subject to shrinkage in dry weather, swelling in moistweather, to crushing somewhat under heavy loading, etc., if plies of thepaperboard intervene between stacking surfaces on adjacent end frames.Such intervening plies, of variable and uncertain thickness. wouldinterfere with good stacking, particularly with stacks of eight or ninecontainers. Better stacking is thus obtained with the invention of thepresent application.

According to a further feature of the invention, the lower stackingedges are disposed a small distance below the bottom of the containerbody and are recessed at the bottom, or bevelled, to receive the bladesof a clamp truck for convenient handling.

A further feature is that the volume of plastic material used isminimized for the strength obtained, and the cost of manufacture is thusminimized.

A further feature in the combination of end frame and container arescore lines across the corners of the lids, whereby these cornerportions bend to facilitate locking engagement of tabs on the lids intoslots in the frame in either closed or open positions of the lids.

The objects and advantages of the present invention will be bestunderstood from the following description of the embodiments of theinvention disclosed in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of three stacked containers having the endframes of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective exploded view of an end frame which is to fitover a container end, showing the location of certain securing elementsin a preferred form of the invention;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail section taken on the line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an end elevational view of the assembled produce container;

FIG. 5 shows, to an enlarged scale, a portion of the underside of an endframe enclosed within the circle 5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a detail section taken in accordance with the lines 66 of FIG.5;

FIG. 7 is a transverse sectional view of one of the ends of a container,showing a container immediately above about to be lowered on the firstcontainer;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged detail of the upper right hand corner portion ofthe container as seen in FIG. 4, with the lower right hand cornerportion of a container immediately above shown thereon, parts beingbroken away to reveal underlying portions in section;

FIG. 9 is a detail section taken on line 9-9 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged detail section taken in accordance with the line10-10 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 10, but showing a lid flap engaged ina slot in the container structure;

FIG. 12 is a section taken on line 12-12 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a portion ofa lid incourse of being engaged with a holddown hook.

DESCRIPTION OF AN ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENT The reinforced paperboardcontainer 10 has a body 12, and rigid reinforcing end frames 14 made ofa molded thermoplastics material. Body 12 can be of any material, andcan be less rigid than wood or fiberboard. Without limitation thereto,the invention will be described where the container is constructed froma blank 16 of corrugated paperboard or other suitable paperboardmaterial. The blank 16 is folded in the manner illustrated in FIG. 2 toits final shape of Flg. 1.

Plastic end frames 14 are then applied over and secured to the ends ofthe body, but with the presently mentioned hinged lids of the containeroutside the end frame.

Referring to FIG. 2, the container blank 16 has a rectangular bottomwall 18 with end and side edges. Joined to these edges of the bottomwall along scored or creased fold lines 20 are end walls 22 and sidewalls 24. Joined to the ends of the end walls 22 along fold lines 26 areflaps 28. A pair of slots 21 intercept each fold line 20. Lids 30 arehinged to the upper edges of the side walls 24 along hinge lines 32. Theend edges 33 of these lids are offset from the vertical end edges of theside walls 24 by a distance which is substantially equal to or slightlygreater than the widths of the end frames 14. Thus there are shouldersat 33c, which are substantially extensions of hinge line 32, thoughpreferably with a slight downward slope, along which the lids 30 areunconnected with the side walls 24. At the swinging corners of thehinged lids are locking tabs 33a which may project substantially to theplane of the end walls of the container, forming locking shoulders 33b.

The container blank 16 is erected by folding the end walls 22 upwardlyand folding the end wall flaps 28 inwardly normal to the end walls. Theside walls 24 are then folded upwardly against and adhesively bonded tothe inwardly folded flaps 28. The lids 30 are foldable on their hingelines 32 to closed positions over the open top of the container body.

Each end frame 14 comprises a rectangular integral structure embodyingfour coplanar flanges, an upper flange 34, a lower flange 35, and sideflanges 36, which overlie marginal portions of the end walls of thecontainer, and engage flat thereagainst. In addition, the frames 14include four flanges 38, 39 and 40 extending perpendicularly from theouter edges of the flanges 34, 35 and 36, the flange 38 being an upperflange, flanges 39 being side flanges, and flange 40 being a lowerflange. These snugly fit on over limited end portions of the bottom andside walls of the container, and go on over the end walls 22, formingend caps. The lids 30 remain outside.

The lower perpendicular flange 40 preferably is virtually flatthroughout its length, so that the bottom of the container issubstantially flat, and therefore capable of running on conventionalroller type conveyers.

Centrally located on and extending vertically upward from asubstantially horizontal upwardly facing exterior surface on the upperside of the upper perpendicular flange 38 of each end frame 14 is aspacer means 46 whose top forms a substantially horizontal, elevatedstacking surface, and which is cored out to form a horizontally disposedrecess 44. The recess opens outwardly and serves as a handle, givingproper room for the fingers. The spacer structure 46 is of the samewidth as the upper frame flange 38. Its top surface constitutes asupport for the bottom perpendicular flange 40 of the end frame 14 ofthe container just above in a vertical stack of such containers.

The aforementioned spacer 46 occupies a central position on top of theflange 38, extending for a distance as shown along the flange 38.Occupying opposite end portions of the flange 38, and spaced fromopposite ends of the spacer 46, are elevated spacers 50, with flathorizontal tops forming substantially horizontal stacking surfacescoplanar with that at the top of spacer 46, and cored out, as seen inFIG. 2.

Thus, a given container, when stacked on a container below, will havethe substantially horizontal lower exterior surface on the lower side ofits lower flange 40 in engagement with and resting upon the threespacers 46 and 50. It thus comprises the lower stacking surface of theend frame.

The weight of a stack of containers is thus transferred through theplastic end frames of the containers, sepcifically, from the bottomflange 40 of each container end frame to the spacers 46 and 50 on thetop flange 38 of the end frame of the container immediately below. Theplastic end frames of the invention as described possess very highstrength in vertical compression, resulting in a correspondingly highstacking capacity.

The end of the spacers 50 confronting the handle 44 have hook-formingprojections 60, forming therebelow a tapered throat 61, which areadapted to engage over and receive the opposed shoulders 33b formed bylocking tabs 33a, projecting laterally from the end edges 33 of coverpanels 30. The end edges 33 extend alongside the spacers 50 to meetshoulders 330 which are approximately aligned with hinge line 32 and areformed along the top edge of each side wall 24 outwardly of the lids 30.The upper portions of the hook-forming projections 60 are taperedforwardly, as at 62, to facilitate forcing of the cover panel tabs downto a position over the extremity of the projections 60, from where theyare re tracted back into the throat 61.

To facilitate engagement of said tabs into a retention slot in analternate position of the lid, (FIGS. 1, and 11), the corner portion 70of each lid is scored to form a score line 71 from a point a few inchesinward along the longitudinal edge of the lid to the intersection of thelid edge 33 with the shoulder 330. This score line 71 is made on theunderside, or reverse side, of the blank when the blank is viewed in theaspect of FIG. 2. Considering the nearer lid 30 of the upper container,in the position of FIG. 1, the corner portion 70 then tends to benddownward and inward at the score line 71, toward the side of thecontainer, so as to be capable of easy entry into the later describedslots 80.

Now, when the lids or top panels are to be folded in and over a filledcarton, the tab 33a of a corner portion 70 of the lid engages thetapered tip of the projections 60, and by pressing downwardly on thecorner portion ofthe lid just outwardly thereof, the tab slides down theincline and into the throat 61. The side walls 32 are also manuallyflexed inwardly a short distance, and by the combination of thesemovements the tabs pass over and under the crest of the member 60, and,by release of the flexing pressure on the side wall of the box, the tabs33a are drawn back into the tapered throats 61. By having the lids 30unconnected from the side walls 24 along the shoulders 330, the lid maybe displaced laterally a little better and further while pulling it toengage the lid tabs 33a over the locking extremities of the spacers 50.

During filling of the lugs, and later while on market display, it isimportant to get the lids 30 out of the way. By the present invention,the lids are folded out and down, alongside the sides of the box, andthe tabs 33a are inserted in slots 80 positioned to receive them. Toprovide these slots, notches 80 are cut in the vertical edges of theside walls 24. The tabs 33a, helped by the bends at 71, are easilyinsertible in the slots 80, and the side walls are thus held neatly andsnugly against the sides of the container.

On each end frame, running entirely around the end flanges 34, 35 and36, excepting at the location of the handle, is a rounded bead 86, whichserves as a buffer against contianers of an adjacent stack. Theunderside of the bead on the lowermost flange leads to a bevelledsurface 87, which facilitates penetration by the blades ofa conventionalclamp truck by which a carton can be conveniently lifted from the floor,or from a pallet P such as shown in FIG. 1.

Projecting upwardly from each of the spacers 50 is a taperingpositioning prong 88, adapted for reception, with small clearance, in anaperture 89 formed in the lower flange of an end frame immediatelyabove. The paperboard box structure is apertured at 21 suitably topermit entrance of these prong structures.

An improved especially secure fastening means is provided for securingthe coplanar flanges of the end frames 14 to the ends of the containerbody. Lugs or rivets 90, preferably in the form of slightly taperedprojections, are formed integrally with and project inward from thesecoplanar flanges, and penetrate holes formed in the box ends. These arethen heated and made plastic by a heating iron 91, which is then forcedinwardly against the projection so as to form it with a head 92. A verysecure fastening is thereby accomplished, and the container has improvedrigidity.

One fuither improvement is made to prevent skidding of the containerswhen resting on a wooden pallet, floor, or the like. On the bottomflanges 40 are formed sets of serrations 96, which, being hard, andrelatively narrow, dig into a wooden or composition floor under theweight of a stack of containers sufficiently to prevent lateraldisplacement. On the top surfaces of the spacers 50, above theseserrations, is a slightly depressed area 98, so that the serrations onthe underside of one end frame will not dig into or engage the topsurface of the spacer 50 of the end frame immediately below.

An important feature of the invention is that the box structures orspacers 50 on the tops of the end frame elevate the container above by asubstantial height, so that the normal sag of the bottom of thecontainer above when loaded with produce will be accommodated withoutimposing any load on the produce in the container below. This isparticularly important during transport of stacked containers wherejolting of the containers could cause contact between container surfacesand bruise the produce contained therein.

1 claim:

1. In a generally rectangular container with rigid rectangular,reinforcing end frames at opposite ends thereof, the container havingrectangular bottom, side and end walls, and lids which are hinged to theupper edges of said side walls, said rectangular end frames comprisingintegral, coplanar, upper, lower and side flanges parallel with the endwalls of the container and lying thereadjacent, and rectangular integralupper, lower and side flanges, integral with and projectingperpendicularly from said coplanar flanges from the outer marginsthereof, whereby to provide reinforcing caps receiving therein thecorresponding end walls of the container and end portions of said bottomwalls, with the perpendicular side flanges thereof lying closelyadjacent said side walls of said container;

said upper and lower perpendicular flanges having horizontal upwardlyfacing and downwardly facing surface areas, respectively,

integral elevated spacer means extending vertically upward fromgenerally outer end portions of said upper perpendicular flanges andhaving thereon horizontal stacking surfaces spaced above said upwardlyfacing flange surface areas of said upper perpendicular flanges by atleast the thickness of a lid, said upwardly facing surface areas on saidupper perpendicular flanges lying longitudinally inward of said spacermeans,

the downwardly facing horizontal surface portions on the lowerperpendicular flanges, directly below said spacer means, also comprisingstacking surfaces,

said stacking surfaces being located above and below the lids and bottomwalls, respectively, of the container for stacking engagement of aplurality of the containers, rigid end frame directly to rigid endframe, at said stacking, surfaces when the lids are closed,

said lids having end edges which, in regions laterally opposite saidelevated spacer means, are located laterally inwardly thereof, theupwardly facing surface areas on said upper perpendicular flanges beingat substantially the level of the underside of the hinged lids when saidlids are closed, and

said lids having tabs which project laterally and overlie said upwardlyfacing surface area on said upper perpendicular flanges at a level belowsaid stacking surfaces on said spacer means when the lids are closed.

2. The container according to claim 1, wherein:

the hinged longitudinal edges of the lids terminate short of the upperperpendicular flanges and have end edges which extend from the points oftermination past said spacer means along lines between and generallyadjacent to said upper perpendicular flanges at opposite ends of thecontainer, said laterally projecting tabs being located laterally beyondsaid end edges.

3. The subject matter of claim 1, wherein:

the end edges of the lids and said spacer means are cooperativelyconstructed with non-overlapping areas so that said spacer means and thelids do not interfere to prevent closure of the lids, and whereby alsoall portions of the lids are excluded from intervention between thestacking surfaces on said elevated spacer means and the stackingsurfaces on the lower perpendicular flanges of a similar containerstacked immediately above.

4. The subject matter of claim 1, including also:

two hooks mounted on the upper perpendicular flange of each end frame,said hooks facing toward one another, and

said laterally projecting tabs having edge shoulders facing generally inthe direction of the hinge line of the corresponding lid and beingengageable in the throats of said hooks. 5. The subject matter of claim4, wherein: the perpendicular distance from the side wall generallyalong each end edge of the lid to said tab edge shoulders is less thanthe distance from said side wall to the forward extremity of the hook,and

wherein the local region of the side wall adjoining the end edge of thelid is flexurable under manually applied stress to enable said tabs tobe forced into positions in which their shoulders clear the extremitiesof the hooks, so as to enter into the throats of the hooks,

said local side wall region, upon release of such stress, acting byresilient return flexure, to pull said edge of said laterally projectinglid portion into the throat of the hook.

6. The subject matter of claim 4, wherein:

said throats of said hooks taper inwardly and downwardly and lead toportions of said horizontal upwardly facing flange area on said upperperpendicular flange.

7. The subject matter of claim 4, including tapered surfaces on the endsof said hooks, over said throats, to facilitate movement of said lidtabs downward and into said throats.

8. The subject matter of claim 4, wherein said hooks are integrallyformed on the proximate ends of said spacer means.

9. The subject matter of claim 1, wherein:

corner portions of the hinged lids, including said tabs,

are scored across with crease lines which are on the undersides thereofwhen the lids are folded out and downward, and slits in the side wallsof the container into which said tabs are receivable when the lids arebent outwardly and down alongside the side walls of the container. 10.The subject matter of claim 9 wherein said slots are substantiallyvertical and are located adjacent to said side perpendicular flanges ofthe end frames.

11. In a paperboard container with rigid rectangular, reinforcingplastic end frames at opposite ends thereof, the container havingrectangular bottom, side and end walls, and lids which are hinged to theupper edges of said side walls, said rectangular end frames comprisingintegral, coplanar, upper, lower and side flanges parallel with the endwalls of the container and lying thereadjacent, and rectangular integralupper, lower and side flanges, integral with and projectingperpendicularly from said coplanar flanges from the other marginsthereof, whereby to provide reinforcing caps adapted to receive thereinthe corresponding end walls of the container and end portions of saidbottom walls, with the perpendicular side flanges thereof lying closelyadjacent said side walls of said container:

horizontal upwardly facing and downwardly facing flange surface areasformed on the exterior sides of said upper and lower perpendicularflanges,

elevated spacer means extending vertically upward from generally outerend portions of said upper perpendicular flanges and having thereonhorizontal stacking surfaces spaced above said upwardly facing flangesurface areas on said upper perpendicular flanges by at least thethickness of a lid, said upwardly facing flange surface areas on saidupper perpendicular flanges lying longitudinally inward of said spacermeans,

the downwardly facing horizontal surface on the lower perpendicularflanges also comprising a stacking surface,

said lids having end edges which, in regions laterally opposite saidelevated spacer means, are located laterally inwardly thereof,

the upwardly facing flange surface areas on said upper perpendicularflanges being at substantially the level of the underside of the hingedlids when said lids are closed, said lids having, in outer end regionsthereof out of lateral alignment with said spacer means, tabs whichproject laterally and overlie said upwardly facing surface area on saidupper perpendicular flanges at a level below said stacking surfaces onsaid spacer means when the lids are closed, and

two hooks mounted on the upper perpendicular flange of each end frame,said hooks facing toward one another, and

said laterally projecting tabs having shoulders facing generally in thedirection of the hinge line of the corresponding lid and beingengageable in the throats of said hooks.

12. The subject matter of claim 11, wherein:

the perpendicular distance from the side wall generally along each endedge of the lid to said tab shoulders is less than the distance fromsaid side wall to the forward extremity of the hook, and

wherein the local region of the side wall adjoining the end edge of thelid is flexurable under manually applied stress to enable said tabs tobe forced into positions in which their shoulders clear the extremitiesof the hooks, so as to enter into the throats of the hooks,

15. The subject matter of claim 11, wherein:

corner portions of the hinged lids, including said tabs, are scoredacross with crease lines which are on the undersides thereof when thelids are folded out and downward, and slits in the side walls of thecontainer into which said tabs are receivable when the lids are bentoutwardly and down alongside the side walls of the container.

16. The subject matter of claim 15, wherein:

said slots are substantially vertical and are located adjacent to saidside perpendicular flanges of the end frames.

1. In a generally rectangular container with rigid rectangular,reinforcing end frames at opposite ends thereof, the container havingrectangular bottom, side and end walls, and lids which are hinged to theupper edges of said side walls, said rectangular end frames comprisingintegral, coplanar, upper, lower and side flanges parallel with the endwalls of the container and lying thereadjacent, and rectangular integralupper, lower and side flanges, integral with and projectingperpendicularly from said coplanar flanges from the outer marginsthereof, whereby to provide reinforcing caps receiving therein thecorresponding end walls of the container and end portions of said bottomwalls, with the perpendicular side flanges thereof lying closelyadjacent said side walls of said container; said upper and lowerperpendicular flanges having horizontal upwardly facing and downwardlyfacing surface areas, respectively, integral elevated spacer meansextending vertically upward from generally outer end portions of saidupper perpendicular flanges and having thereon horizontal stackingsurfaces spaced above said upwardly facing flange surface areas of saidupper perpendicular flanges by at least the thickness of a lid, saidupwardly facing surface areas on said upper perpendicular flanges lyinglongitudinally inward of said spacer means, the downwardly facinghorizontal surface portions on the lower perpendicular flanges, directlybelow said spacer means, also comprising stacking surfaces, saidstacking surfaces being located above and below the lids and bottomwalls, respectively, of the container for stacking engagement of aplurality of the containers, rigid end frame directly to rigid endframe, at said stacking surfaces when the lids are closed, said lidshaving end edges which, in regions laterally opposite said elevatedspacer means, are located laterally inwardly thereof, the upwardlyfacing surface areas on said upper perpendicular flanges being atsubstantially the level of the underside of the hinged lids when saidlids are closed, and said lids having tabs which project laterally andoverlie said upwardly facing surface area on said upper perpendicularflanges at a level below said stacking surfaces on said spacer meanswhen the lids are closed.
 1. In a generally rectangular container withrigid rectangular, reinforcing end frames at opposite ends thereof, thecontainer having rectangular bottom, side and end walls, and lids whichare hinged to the upper edges of said side walls, said rectangular endframes comprising integral, coplanar, upper, lower and side flangesparallel with the end walls of the container and lying thereadjacent,and rectangular integral upper, lower and side flanges, integral withand projecting perpendicularly from said coplanar flanges from the outermargins thereof, whereby to provide reinforcing caps receiving thereinthe corresponding end walls of the container and end portions of saidbottom walls, with the perpendicular side flanges thereof lying closelyadjacent said side walls of said container; said upper and lowerperpendicular flanges having horizontal upwardly facing and downwardlyfacing surface areas, respectively, integral elevated spacer meansextending vertically upward from generally outer end portions of saidupper perpendicular flanges and having thereon horizontal stackingsurfaces spaced above said upwardly facing flange surface areas of saidupper perpendicular flanges by at least the thickness of a lid, saidupwardly facing surface areas on said upper perpendicular flanges lyinglongitudinally inward of said spacer means, the downwardly facinghorizontal surface portions on the lower perpendicular flanges, directlybelow said spacer means, also comprising stacking surfaces, saidstacking surfaces being located above and below the lids and bottomwalls, respectively, of the container for stacking engagement of aplurality of the containers, rigid end frame directly to rigid endframe, at said stacking surfaces when the lids are closed, said lidshaving end edges which, in regions laterally opposite said elevatedspacer means, are located laterally inwardly thereof, the upwardlyfacing surface areas on said upper perpendicular flanges being atsubstantially the level of the underside of the hinged lids when saidlids are closed, and said lids having tabs which project laterally andoverlie said upwardly facing surface area on said upper perpendicularflanges at a level below said stacking surfaces on said spacer meanswhen the lids are closed.
 2. The container according to claim 1,wherein: the hinged longitudinal edges of the lids terminate short ofthe upper perpendicular flanges and have end edges which extend from thepoints of termination past said spacer means along lines between andgenerally adjacent to said upper perpendicular flanges at opposite endsof the container, said laterally projecting tabs being located laterallybeyond said end edges.
 3. The subject matter of claim 1, wherein: theend edges of the lids and said spacer means are cooperativelyconstructed with non-overlapping areas so that said spacer means and thelids do not interfere to prevent closure of the lids, and whereby alsoall portions of the lids are excluded from intervention between thestacking surfaces on said elevated spacer means and the stackingsurfaces on the lower perpendicular flanges of a similar containerstacked immediately above.
 4. The subject matter of claim 1, includingalso: two hooks mounted on the upper perpendicular flange of each endframe, said hooks facing toward one another, and said laterallyprojecting tabs having edge shoulders facing generally in the directionof the hinge line of the corresponding lid and being engageable in thethroats of said hooks.
 5. The subject matter of claim 4, wherein: theperpendicular distance from the side wall generally along each end edgeof the lid to said tab edge shoulders is less than the distance fromsaid side wall to the forward extremity of the hook, and wherein thelocal region of the side wall adjoining the end edge of the lid isflexurable undeR manually applied stress to enable said tabs to beforced into positions in which their shoulders clear the extremities ofthe hooks, so as to enter into the throats of the hooks, said local sidewall region, upon release of such stress, acting by resilient returnflexure, to pull said edge of said laterally projecting lid portion intothe throat of the hook.
 6. The subject matter of claim 4, wherein: saidthroats of said hooks taper inwardly and downwardly and lead to portionsof said horizontal upwardly facing flange area on said upperperpendicular flange.
 7. The subject matter of claim 4, includingtapered surfaces on the ends of said hooks, over said throats, tofacilitate movement of said lid tabs downward and into said throats. 8.The subject matter of claim 4, wherein said hooks are integrally formedon the proximate ends of said spacer means.
 9. The subject matter ofclaim 1, wherein: corner portions of the hinged lids, including saidtabs, are scored across with crease lines which are on the undersidesthereof when the lids are folded out and downward, and slits in the sidewalls of the container into which said tabs are receivable when the lidsare bent outwardly and down alongside the side walls of the container.10. The subject matter of claim 9 wherein said slots are substantiallyvertical and are located adjacent to said side perpendicular flanges ofthe end frames.
 11. In a paperboard container with rigid rectangular,reinforcing plastic end frames at opposite ends thereof, the containerhaving rectangular bottom, side and end walls, and lids which are hingedto the upper edges of said side walls, said rectangular end framescomprising integral, coplanar, upper, lower and side flanges parallelwith the end walls of the container and lying thereadjacent, andrectangular integral upper, lower and side flanges, integral with andprojecting perpendicularly from said coplanar flanges from the othermargins thereof, whereby to provide reinforcing caps adapted to receivetherein the corresponding end walls of the container and end portions ofsaid bottom walls, with the perpendicular side flanges thereof lyingclosely adjacent said side walls of said container: horizontal upwardlyfacing and downwardly facing flange surface areas formed on the exteriorsides of said upper and lower perpendicular flanges, elevated spacermeans extending vertically upward from generally outer end portions ofsaid upper perpendicular flanges and having thereon horizontal stackingsurfaces spaced above said upwardly facing flange surface areas on saidupper perpendicular flanges by at least the thickness of a lid, saidupwardly facing flange surface areas on said upper perpendicular flangeslying longitudinally inward of said spacer means, the downwardly facinghorizontal surface on the lower perpendicular flanges also comprising astacking surface, said lids having end edges which, in regions laterallyopposite said elevated spacer means, are located laterally inwardlythereof, the upwardly facing flange surface areas on said upperperpendicular flanges being at substantially the level of the undersideof the hinged lids when said lids are closed, said lids having, in outerend regions thereof out of lateral alignment with said spacer means,tabs which project laterally and overlie said upwardly facing surfacearea on said upper perpendicular flanges at a level below said stackingsurfaces on said spacer means when the lids are closed, and two hooksmounted on the upper perpendicular flange of each end frame, said hooksfacing toward one another, and said laterally projecting tabs havingshoulders facing generally in the direction of the hinge line of thecorresponding lid and being engageable in the throats of said hooks. 12.The subject matter of claim 11, wherein: the perpendicular distance fromthe side wall generally along each end edge of the lid to said tabshoulders is less than the distancE from said side wall to the forwardextremity of the hook, and wherein the local region of the side walladjoining the end edge of the lid is flexurable under manually appliedstress to enable said tabs to be forced into positions in which theirshoulders clear the extremities of the hooks, so as to enter into thethroats of the hooks, said local side wall region, upon release of suchstress, acting by resilient return flexure, to pull said edge of saidlaterally projecting lid portion into the throat of the hook.
 13. Thesubject matter of claim 11, wherein: said throats of said hooks taperinwardly and downwardly and lead to portions of said horizontal upwardlyfacing flange area on said upper perpendicular flange.
 14. The subjectmatter of claim 11, including tapered surfaces on the ends of saidhooks, over said throats, to facilitate movement of said lid tabsdownward and into said throats.
 15. The subject matter of claim 11,wherein: corner portions of the hinged lids, including said tabs, arescored across with crease lines which are on the undersides thereof whenthe lids are folded out and downward, and slits in the side walls of thecontainer into which said tabs are receivable when the lids are bentoutwardly and down alongside the side walls of the container.